Processing system for recording media content

ABSTRACT

A method and system are provided in which a user is enabled to record, for example, a song or other radio and/or video content, on demand, and to account for and process appropriate payment for the use of the recorded content. The recorded material is saved and indexed by title and is retrievable for subsequent review, tabulation and/or playing at the user&#39;s convenience. In one example, a user is enabled to record received media content by pressing a single “ADD” button at any time while a favorite song is being received and played. The song then being played together with the title of the song or video presentation are then saved to memory for subsequent retrieval and playing. The received content is accounted for and tabulated and a payment for the use of the recorded song is processed by the user in accordance with a predetermined payment schedule.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

Subject matter disclosed and not claimed herein is disclosed and claimedin related co-pending application Ser. Nos. 11/044,590 and 11/044,569which are assigned to the assignee of the present application andincluded herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to information processingsystems and more particularly to a system and methodology for processingpayments for received digital signals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the rapidly changing world of telecommunications and electronics ingeneral, the concepts of radio that exist today are not much differentfrom those in existence in the early part of the twentieth century.Despite the advent of physical media which enable a user to carry themusic to which the user wishes to listen, the concept of radio stillexists in a format offering users very few user options. Although a usermay choose a station or several stations which may be preferred by theuser, there are no current options which enable users to listen topreferred music selections, for example, at the user's conveniencerather than on the timetables provided by the local broadcasters.

Moreover, it is oftentimes frustrating for a user to switch among radiostations in an effort to find a music selection preferred by the user.Many times, when a user finally does find a music selection or song thatthe user prefers, the song may be ending and the user may have toinitiate the station scanning process all over again. This is not onlyfrustrating to the user but also distracting and even dangerous when theuser is operating a motor vehicle at the same time.

Further, much of the music and other transmitted radio content isprotected by Copyright laws and require the payment of fees to theCopyright owner for certain rights related to the use of the Copyrightedmaterial. Heretofore there has been no widespread method for making suchpayments on an individualized basis for the personal use of Copyrightedradio and/or video content.

Thus, there is a need for an improved digital processing system whichprovides a greater degree of control by users of radio and otherbroadcast signal content which includes means for processing paymentsfor the use of such signal content.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method and system are provided in which a user is enabled to record,for example, a song or other radio and/or video content, on demand, andto account for and process appropriate payment for the use of therecorded content. The recorded material is saved and indexed by titleand is retrievable for subsequent review, tabulation and/or playing atthe user's convenience. The received content is accounted for and apayment for the use of the recorded song is processed in accordance witha predetermined payment schedule.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when thefollowing detailed description of a preferred embodiment is consideredin conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a receiving device implemented inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a compare function implemented inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of a display unit used inconnection with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an illustration of another embodiment of a display unit whichmay be used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an exemplary operational sequence in oneimplementation of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary operational sequencefor an “DELETE” function as may be used with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an exemplary operational sequencefor an “ADD” function as may be used with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing operational relationships among thecomponents of one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a flow chart illustrating a high level flow sequence in oneembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Relatively recent developments in Radio Data System (RDS) and RadioBroadcast Data System (RBDS) technologies have resulted in widespreadimplementation of improved digital processing systems for radiotransmission systems. With RDS, identification information concerning asong currently being played on a radio for example, is available fromthe broadcast information for other uses. For example, the name or titleof the song, the artist, the album and other related information may bedecoded from a received radio transmission and made available foradditional processing. Although the present disclosure is made withregard to an RDS radio system, it is understood that the principlescontained herein also have application to video signal processingmethodologies, and may be used in connection with digital videoreceivers and recorders as well, in processing various types and titlesof digital video signal streams. It is noted that circuits and deviceswhich are shown in block form in the drawings are generally known tothose skilled in the art, and are not specified to any greater extentthan that considered necessary as illustrated, for the understanding andappreciation of the underlying concepts of the present invention and inorder not to obfuscate or distract from the teachings of the presentinvention.

With reference to FIG. 1, the various methods discussed herein may beimplemented within a receiving device 100 which illustrates only one ofmany possible exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Thereceiving device 100 includes a receiver unit 101 which is arranged toreceive broadcast or other transmitted signals through an antenna 102.Broadcast or other transmitted signals may also be received ortransmitted through a hard-wire cable or directly from a satellite. Theradio receiver unit 101 receives signals from the antenna 102 andconverts those signals into a plurality of digital data streams 105 ofinformation S1-S(n). Received signals may include, for example,amplitude modulated (AM), frequency modulated (FM) and/or citizen's band(CB) signals, inter alia. Analog signals are converted into digitalstreams through analog-to-digital converters (not shown) within theradio receiver unit 101. As hereinafter discussed in greater detail, adigital data stream is generated for each station that has been tuned-inor selected by a user of the receiver unit 101. If no stations have beenpre-selected by a user, the receiver 101 provides data streams for eachof a predetermined number of the strongest stations received by thereceiver 101. In the present example, where no stations have beenpre-selected by a user, the radio receiver 101 will digitize and providedata streams for the five strongest stations being received. It isunderstood that the exact number of default stations may be any numberdepending upon the application and the number of stations being receivedin the geographical area.

The station digitized data streams are applied to processing circuitry103 which includes one or more CPUs 107, a memory unit 109, storage 111,a network interface 113 and voice processing circuitry 115. The memoryunit 109 is used for selectively storing favorite songs and listings.The voice processing circuitry 115 enables synthesized voicedannouncements to be made and also enables direct user input throughvoiced commands. Voiced inputs as well as push-button inputs andsoftware menu-enabled user inputs are processed through a user input orinterface unit 117. All of the functional blocks within the processingcircuitry 103 are connected together by a common system bus. The systemis designed to enable a user, inter alia, to input the name or title ofa favorite song using a voiced input to the voice processing module 115.The voiced-in title will then be inserted into a favorites listing suchthat the system will subsequently search for the input title from songheader information transmitted from the tuned radio stations. The usermay also input song titles, or key words of a song title, for the systemto use in searching incoming data streams to determine when a favoritesong or title is being played on one of the radio stations.

Outputs from the processing circuitry 103 are provided to a displaymodule 119, and also as played station audio output to a speaker system121 of an audio player. The display device 119 may comprise, forexample, a liquid crystal display (LCD) which is viewable by a user in amotor vehicle. Outputs from the processing circuitry are also providedto an audio alert system 123, which, in response to signals providedfrom the processing circuitry 103, is enabled to alert a user to variousconditions by sounding alarms and/or synthesized voice announcements.Other alarms including visual alarms (i.e. flashing or blinking text)are also enabled to effect and modify visual presentations or screens onthe display module 119.

As shown in FIG. 2, in one example, audio data streams S1-S(n) areapplied to a First-In First-Out (FIFO) memory and station selectioncontrol unit 201. The FIFO memory is designed to capture and shift datastreams of a length, i.e. “T”, which corresponds to the length of atypical audio stream for most popular songs. When a song is queued forplaying by a tuned station, header information containing the song titleand other related information is detected 203 and the header informationis switched by a switching device 205 to a header information buffer 207where it is accessed and compared in a look-up and compare circuit 209to a favorites list containing a listing of a user's favorite songs andkey words. When a match is detected between the favorites list of keywords or titles and the song that is currently being played on-one ofthe monitored stations, the song and the full song title are saved and amessage may be displayed stating that the detected song is currentlybeing recorded from the indicated station. Alert signals may also besent to alert a user that one of the user's favorite songs is currentlybeing played on a given station. Subsequently, when a user switches fromanother station in order to hear a favorite song, the beginning of thesong is referenced to begin playing from the appropriate FIFO memoryunit. Each of the predetermined tuned radio stations provides a digitaldata stream and each data stream is applied to a different channel in aFIFO memory and selection control unit 201. As shown, a user may selectwhich station is to be played and the data stream from the selectedstation is output to an audio player 202.

In FIG. 3, there is shown a display screen arrangement 301 which ispositioned to be viewable by a user (i.e. driver or passenger) within amotor vehicle for example. As shown, the display screen arrangement 301includes a display area 303 to display the station to which the radioreceiver is tuned at any given time. Another section 304 of the displayarea includes a “favorite song” area 305 which indicates when one ormore of a user's favorite songs are playing on one of the tuned stations307. When more than one of the user's favorite songs are playing at thesame time, all songs that are currently playing will be indicated 308along with the respective stations 310. Songs that have been previouslyrecorded or saved to memory may also be selected and played by a userand the display area 304 will identify which song is currently beingplayed.

In another display area section 312, there is shown a Favorites List 311which displays an assigned reference number 313 for each favorite songof the user together with the corresponding song title 315 and singer317. There is also a column to indicate whether or not a particular songon the favorites list has already been recorded 320. Those songs thathave been recorded may be selected, highlighted and played from memoryby the user by hitting a Play button 323. Songs on the favorites listwhich have been identified and input to the favorites list by the user(for example by a menu-driven user input or voiced input) cannot beplayed from memory until the receiver has recorded the playing of thatsong from a tuned station. However, a user may have an unrecordedfavorite played by actuating the Add button 319 when a song which theuser wished to record is currently being played on the radio station asis hereinafter explained in connection with FIG. 6.

In another section 322, a user is enabled to select songs from theFavorites List 311, e.g. Song B, for playing and/or deletion. A user isenabled to move from song to song on the Favorites List 311 bymanipulating the Select Button 321 which will highlight 318 theparticular song selection on the display screen. The user is thenenabled to either play a selected recorded song by actuating the PlayButton 323 or delete the selected recorded song by actuating a DeleteButton 325. The various buttons are shown in differing shapes in orderto facilitate the selection of the correct button by a user driving amotor vehicle without requiring the user to look at the button itself.In another exemplary implementation, the various buttons are positionedon the side of the steering wheel for easy access.

The “Add Current Song” feature enables a user, for example a driver of amotor vehicle, to hit only one button, i.e. the “Add Current Song” (ADD)Button 319, in order to have a song currently being received by thereceiver 101 on any of the tuned stations, to be marked and entered onthe “Favorites List” 311 and optionally recorded from the FIFO memory201 to non-volatile (NV) memory and/or storage for later retrieval andplaying at the user's convenience. When a user hears a song on thestation currently being listened to and the user wishes to record thecurrent song, all the user has to do is hit the ADD button 319. If afavorite song is being played on another station, then an alert signal,i.e. blinking or steady light 309 will be activated to show that afavorite 305 is playing and on which station 307. An audio alert signalmay also be concurrently sounded in order to get the user's attention.The user may then manually switch to the indicated station at which timethe alert signals will be turned off. Light 309 and/or indicator 307 mayalso serve a dual function as a push button switch in order tofacilitate switching stations and insure that the correct station isswitched to without requiring the user to manually search for thecorrect station as displayed 307. The unit may also be programmed toautomatically switch stations when a favorite is playing on anotherstation. The processing may also include a check on the currentlyplaying song before switching so that the player will not switch to anew station if a favorite is already playing on the current station. The“ADD”, “DELETE” and other functions may also be implemented through theuse of an embedded voice processing system in which case the user needonly speak an appropriate command such as, but not limited to, “Add”, or“Delete” or “Change Station”.

FIG. 4 shows a simplified alternate layout of a display arrangement 400in which typical radio selection push buttons 401, 403, 405, 407 and 409are arranged to correspond to tuned radio stations A, B, C, D and Ewhich are shown on display area 412. In FIG. 4, each radio station has acorresponding alert light indicator 402, 404, 406, 408 and 410 which isdesigned to light up when a favorite song is playing on thecorresponding station. The function of the alert light indicators402-410 are the same as alert indicator 309 in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 also showsa simplified operational panel section for adding 419, selecting 421 anddeleting 423 songs from a displayed favorites playlist 411.

As shown in the flow chart of FIG. 5, in a typical operation when thesystem is initiated, a memory check 501 is first made in order to insurethat there is sufficient memory available to store a favorite song ifone is played while a user is listening to the radio input audio player.This memory check precludes the possibility that a user will be alertedthat a favorite song is being played but there is not sufficient memoryto record it. Next, if sufficient memory is available 503, then the datastreams from the tuned stations are monitored and compared 511 with thefavorites list to look for a “match”. If there is not sufficient memory503 to store a favorite song if a favorite song happens to be detected,then an appropriate message is displayed and/or announced viasynthesized voice message 505, and an option 507 is given to the user toexecute a delete function 509 to delete a selected favorite and makememory space available for a new favorite song before beginning tomonitor the tuned stations 511. In the illustrated example, themonitoring of tuned stations does not occur if there is not sufficientmemory available to save.

Next, when a match occurs 513 between a song or key words on thefavorites list and a song playing on one of the tuned radio stations,the currently playing status is announced 515 to a user by an alertsignal. If the user chooses to have the favorite song played 517 on theaudio player, then the radio channel is switched 519 to the stationwhich is playing the favorite song and the favorite song is played. Whenthe favorite song has completed playing 521, the processing continuesfrom the memory check block 501.

In another example, the user is enabled to actuate a “record only”button (not shown) so that when the playing of a favorite song isdetected on another station, the system records the favorite song fromthe other station “in the background” but does not change the stationthat is currently being listened to by the user. Further enhancementsinclude the ability to set degrees of preferences for favorite songssuch that one song or a group of preferred songs will be displayed inone color and/or more prominently, while other less preferred songswould be displayed less prominently and/or in a different color. In thisexample, when preferred songs are played on another station, the systemautomatically switches stations but when less preferred songs aredetected as being played, only a visual and/or audio indication or alertis given and the user has the option to manually switch to the newstation at that time.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary operational sequence which occurs duringa Delete function. As shown, when a delete function is selected 601 by auser pushing the delete button 325, the selected favorite song on theplay list is highlighted, for example, by blinking text 603 to identifythe song to be deleted. If the highlighted song is the one intended tobe deleted by the user, the user will confirm 605 the delete functionby, for example, hitting the delete button 325 a second time. If thewrong song is highlighted for deletion, the user may select anotherfunction 607. For example, the user may hit the select button 321 tomove up or down on the favorites list and that operation 609 will cancelthe pending but unconfirmed deletion operation. The user may also choosethe Add 319 or Play 323 buttons to effect a cancellation of the pendingbut unconfirmed delete function. If after hitting the Delete button onetime, no further action is taken for a predetermined period of time 615,the Delete function will also be canceled and the process will end. Ifthe Delete function is confirmed by the user by hitting the Deletebutton, for example, for a second time, then the highlighted song willbe deleted 611 and the memory that was taken by the deleted song willagain be made available 613.

The processing herein disclosed may be implemented in many forms andcombinations of hardware and software. The following illustrates anexemplary high level source code listing which may be used, for example,to alert a driver when a favorite song is playing.

blnFavoriteSongPlaying=false while (true) { 1. Get RDS info forcurrently playing radio station. 2. Look up song title in favorite songslist. If present, blnFavoriteSongPlaying=true, elseblnFavoriteSongPlaying=false. 3. For each preset station in presetstations list 3a. Get RDS info for currently playing song. (The carwould have a separate tuner for this purpose so as not to interfere withthe currently playing song). 3b. Look up song title in favorite songslist. 3c. If title exists in favorite songs list 3c1. If(blnFavoriteSongPlaying) 3c1a. Update timestamp for entry in favoritesongs list with current time. 3c2. Else 3c2a. Retrieve timestamp forentry in favorite songs list. 3c2b. If (timestamp!=null&&(currenttime-timestamp)>30 seconds) 3c2b1. Clear timestamp for entry in favoritesongs list. 3c2b2. Turn off display for flashing light above presetstation, if it was currently on. 3c2c. Else 3c2c1. Display flashinglight above preset station that has been currently cycled to in order toalert the driver that a favorite song is playing on a different station.}

In an exemplary video application, a user in a home environment isenabled to indicate by using a digital video recorder and menu driveninputs, a specific type of broadcast such as “Sports” or “Basketball”,and a processing methodology as described above would alert the userwhen a preferred type of video broadcast is being played on a channelother than the channel currently being watched by the user. Similarprocessing methodologies including the recording function, are appliedto enable the user to add, switch to or record a channel where apreferred type of video presentation is being presented.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary operational sequence which occurs duringan ADD function. As shown, when an ADD function is selected 701 by auser pushing the add button 419 (FIG. 4), the song content for thecurrently playing song is saved 703 and the official song title iscopied 705 from the RDS song header information. If the RDS system doesnot continue to show the title during the entire song or contentsegment, the system is configured to record for a prescribed amount oftime (e.g. six minutes) sufficient to include almost all songs ofinterest or is configured to use the button press to save the content oranother button to indicate the endpoint of the song or other content.The official song title is then saved in the Favorites List 707 and whenthe song content has been saved 709, the Favorites List is updated toshow that the newly saved song has been “Recorded” 711 as shown incolumn 320 of FIG. 3. After being recorded 711, the recording is“marked” for payment processing 713 either as a batch process or on areal time “as recorded” basis. The payment processing may also beinitiated at any time during the recording process.

A payment for the recorded song or content is made in one of severalways. In one example, a value card is inserted into the radio orsuitable reader device. The value card is a form of a so called “smartcard” which may include input and output means along with a memory unitand processing circuitry. In this example, the value card is apre-purchased card, similar to a phone card, which give the holder theability to purchase a specified number of items of content or aspecified amount of time of content. The amount of the remaining balanceheld by the card is reduced by the amount of the content that has beenrecorded and stored.

In another example, the value card 801 saves the titles of the recordedcontent in the memory unit of the value card. Subsequently, when thecard approaches or reaches zero remaining value, the card can be takento a store or other vendor and inserted or otherwise interfaced 803 to aprocessing/reader device 805. The titles can then be transmitted 807 toa central server 809 where the recorded titles are used to look-up apayment amount due for the recordings made and the payment process tothe Copyright owner can be initiated. At this time, the stored contenttitles are read out of the card so that the actual content providers canbe compensated on an actual usage basis rather than on a general poolbasis as is currently widely done. Purchase credits can also be“refilled” by clearing the value card memory and providing payment“credits” in the value card memory. As an incentive to bring the cardback for refilling and retrieving the titles, the user may be givenextra free usage credits.

In another example, the processing function is accomplished usingwireless capabilities (or wired in the case of fixed devices or readers)through an interconnection network to a Copyright clearinghouse server.In the example, the server looks-up a chargeable amount for the recordedsongs and charges an appropriate amount, in accordance with apredetermined charge schedule, to the user's account or credit card.Currently available wireless communications systems, such as the“ONSTAR™ system”, are also available for use in a wirelessimplementation of the disclosed processing system. The paymentprocessing and “re-filling” function may also be performed at gasolinestations or convenience stores for example, using short range“Bluetooth™” links or similar technology.

A high level flow chart of the payment processing methodology isillustrated in FIG. 9. As shown, The payment processing begins when arequest 901 is made by a user. This may be accomplished by inserting thevalue card into a reader or other processing device which may be locatedas part of the local radio receiver system or at selected processingfacilities installed in gasoline or other convenience store locations.When the value card is presented for processing 901, the information,including the titles of the songs that have been recorded, is read 903from the value card, and the process looks-up 905 corresponding paymentsamounts for the recorded songs. This may be accomplished through alook-up function to a payment table or database which indicates paymentamounts due for individual songs by song title. The payment table mayalso include the identity of the Copyright owner to whom payment will bemade. Song titles may be assigned unique identification numbers tofacilitate the processing. The payments due are then tabulated 905 andthe payment process is initiated 907. The payment process may, forexample, maintain running accounts for the user and periodically processpayments for the user's recorded songs to a Copyright clearinghouseserver for payment to the appropriate Copyright owners. This may includethe automatic accounting for individual songs recorded by a user alongwith corresponding payment amounts and the sending of emails and/oraccount entries to initiate a payment process. The value card memory isthen cleared and, if requested by the user, may be re-filled 909 withpurchase credits for a predetermined amount of media signal content incard memory.

In another example, a value card is not used but rather the payment forrecorded media content is made through normal credit card processing andthe payment may be made to whomever is designated by the partycontrolling the sending of the media content. Further, the user may belogged into a music distribution site through the Internet, for example,and selected musical media content can be wirelessly or otherwisedownloaded to the user for recording after a selection of one or moresongs has been made and the appropriate payment amount has beendetermined and processed.

The method and apparatus of the present invention has been described inconnection with a preferred embodiment as disclosed herein. Thedisclosed methodology may be implemented in a wide range of sequences,menus and screen designs to accomplish the desired results as hereinillustrated. Although an embodiment of the present invention has beenshown and described in detail herein, along with certain variantsthereof, many other varied embodiments that incorporate the teachings ofthe invention may be easily constructed by those skilled in the art, andeven included or integrated into a processor or CPU or other largersystem integrated circuit or chip. The disclosed methodology may also beimplemented solely or partially in program code stored on a CD, disk ordiskette (portable or fixed), or other memory device, from which it maybe loaded into memory and executed to achieve the beneficial results asdescribed herein. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended tobe limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary,it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, andequivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scopeof the invention.

1. A method for processing compensation to a first party for use of abroadcast unencrypted audio file being broadcast from a radio station,said unencrypted audio file being effective to cause a playing of saidunencrypted audio file on an audio playing device of said user, saidmethod comprising: receiving said broadcast unencrypted audio file bysaid user; providing an identifying indicium for said broadcastunencrypted audio file; providing a selection device, said selectiondevice being operable by said user to select one of said broadcastunencrypted audio files as said one of said audio files is being playedon said audio playing device; saving said selected one of said broadcastunencrypted audio files in its entirety only upon detection of anactuation of said selection device by said user; using said identifyingindicium to determine a payment amount corresponding to a use of saidbroadcast unencrypted audio file; and processing said payment amount toeffect payment of said payment amount wherein said identifying indiciumis a title of said broadcast unencrypted audio file, said method furtherincluding storing said identifying indicium in a wireless memory deviceand reading said identifying indicium from said wireless memory deviceprior to said using, wherein said using comprises comparing saididentifying indicium to a database of similar indicia to determine apayment amount corresponding to said identifying indicium, whereinwireless memory device includes pre-payment means by which said wirelessmemory device is programmable to operate in combination with a userrecording device to selectively enable a user recording device to recorda predetermined quantity of said broadcast unencrypted audio files,wherein said wireless memory device is selectively operable incombination with a reading device to determine said payment amountcorresponding to said identifying indicium read from said memory device,and wherein said identifying indicium for said broadcast unencryptedaudio files recorded by said user is wirelessly transmitted from a userplaying device to a processing center, said processing center beingoperable for determining said payment amount corresponding to saididentifying indicium.